SERUM HYALURONAN AS A MARKER OF LIVER FIBROSIS IN HEMOPHILIACS WITH HEPATITIS-C VIRUS-ASSOCIATED CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

We measured serum type III procollagen peptide, type IV collagen (IV-C ), and hyaluronan (HA) in 36 hemophiliacs with hepatitis C virus (HCV) -related chronic liver disease. We also measured these markers in 19 i nterferon (IFN)-treated patients before and after a 6-month course of IFN-alpha. The serum concentrations of IV-C and HA were correlated wit h the stage of fibrosis (IV-C r = 0.38; HA r = 0.78). These markers fe ll only in complete responders showing sustained clearance of serum HC V RNA by IFN. These results suggest that, in hemophiliacs with chronic liver disease, serum HA measurement might be an alternative to liver biopsy and reflect the response to IFN.